Cap closure



Jan. 17, 1939. F, H. GLEASON 2,144,584

CAP CLOSURE Filed April e, i931 /NYENrofe QEUER/cx dif/130A ATTORNEYSWITNESS l Patented Jap. 17, 1939' UNITED STATES CAP CLOSUBE Frederick H.Gleason, Auburn, N. Y., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Doray Lamp Co., Inc.,

Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April s, 1931,serial No. 528,102

12 claims.

This invention relates to cap closures and pertains more particularly toclosures for ller openings for automobile gasoline tanks, automobileradiators and the like.

The main object of this invention is to produce -a cap closure of theabove-mentioned class which may be quickly, easily and permanentlysecured to the container in operative relation with the filler openingso as -to prevent any possibility of the cap being lost or mislaid, andat, the same time, permit the ready displacement of the cap for fillingpurposes.

A further object is to provide a cap which will be automaticallyreplaced in closing relation with the filler opening as soon as thenozzle, spout or other instrument used in lling the container or tank isremoved. w

Still another object is to provide in such a closure, -baled air ventsfor permitting the entrance`of air to the container, and at the sametime, prevent the contents thereof being splashed out when beingagitated.

Other objects and advantages relating to the .structure and form andrelation of the parts thereof, will more fully appear in the followingdescription, taken .in connection with the' accompanying drawing inwhich:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a closure embodying the variousfeatures of this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspectiveview of that portion of a tank ,orcontainerfhavingthe tubular inlet member to which the closure isattached.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the container inlet member with-the closure attached, taken `in the plane of the line 3-3, Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away, ofthe upper end oftheinlet member, taken in the plane of the line 4-4, Figure 3.

Figure 5 isa detail horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure3.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the retaining stud for the cap showingthe air vent grooves in the under-surface of the head thereof.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the central portionof the cap illustrating a modined means for maintaining the baille platein contact with the cap. A y

As illustrated in the drawing, the inlet member as I is' a tubularpieceof sheet metal which may be secured to or made integral with thetank or container 2 and has the upper end thereof formed with aninwardly extendingflange 3 which, in turn, is provided with an innerdepending marginal ange 4, thereby forming an annular recess or groove 5at the underside of the (Cl. 22o-86) ange portion 3 between thedepending flange 4 and the side wall of the inlet member I, said recessbeing adapted to form a seat for the upper end 4of a spring-lockingmember which will hereinafter be more fully explained.

The flanges 3 and 4 as shown are provided with diametrically opposedoutwardly extending recesses 6 usually provided for receiving thelocking element of a conventional cap and which may be utilized duringthe entrance of the spring member into thc annular recess 5 in a mannerpresently described. The closure comprises a cap member l, circular inplan view and formed with a downwardly and inwardly curved peripheraledge 8 which may be knurled to assist in turning the cap whileassembling the closure in position on the inlet member I.

The cap 1 is 'of greater diameter than the inlet member I so that thecurved edge 8 thereof will extend a short distance beyond said inletmember thus permitting the underface of the cap to engage the inlet whenassembled in position therewith. The cap 1 is provided at its centerwith an elongated opening 9, as shown in Figure 5, for receivingtherethrough a retaining stud I0 which hasa similar formed shank I.I butof slightly less cross-sectional area for preventing relative turningmovements of the cap and stud, and at the same time, forming an airspacctherebetween.

The stud I0 extends a short distance within the cap 1 and has the innerAend thereof provided with a diametrically extending slot I2 forreceiving the upper end of a -flexible tie rod such as the chain I3 orother similar means for connecting the cap 1 with the spring retainingmember I4. In this instance, the upper end of the chain I3 is pivotallyconnected with thefstud II) by means of a pin I5 which passes throughthe eye of the upper link of the chain and which has the endsthereofsecured in the depending portion of the stud at respectivesides of theslot I2.

The lower end of the chain I3 may be 'secured to the lower end of thespring member I4 in any suitable manner as by passing the end of thespring through the eye or loop I3 formed by the lowermost chain link, asshown more clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The retaining member I4, in thisinstance, is a helical spring having the upper portion of substantiallythe same diameter as the recess 5 in the inlet member I and the lowerportion of the spring has a conical formation so as to maintain the tiechain I3 substan- .tially'co-axial with the spring under normalconditions, that is, when the cap is in operative closing relation withthe inlet member I.

In order to apply my improved closure to theA inlet member I, the lowerconical end oi' the spring I4 is rst inserted in the inlet opening II ofthe member I, with one of the spring helices registering in a recess 6and then by turning ,the cap 1, the spring may be screwthreaded into theflange 3 of the inlet member until the upper end of the spring haspassed entirely through said flange, whereupon the upper end of thespring will be positioned and retained in the recess 5 of the inletmember, with the cap engaging the upper end of said inlet member, asshown inFigure 3.

The utilizing of one or the other of the recesses 6 during theassembling of the spring with the inlet is only necessary when therelative diameters of the spring I4, inlet opening I'I and the interiorof the inlet member I are so closely related, as shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawing, that there is very little room for lateral movement of thespring relative to the itlanges4 3 and 4, but where a more liberalrelation exists between the wall of the opening II and that of theinterior of the member l, it is obvious that the spring may be readilyscrew-threaded through theV opening without utilizing a recess E.

The lengths of thespring I4 and tie chain I3 are such that the springwill be maintainedv under compression by the cap 'I and chain I3 at alltimes for yieldingly maintaining the cap in liquidtight relationwith theupper end of the inlet member I. In order to insure a sealed connectionbetween the cap and inlet, I have provided the cap with a gasket I8composed of leather, cork, or other suitable material, which is adapted'to engage the upper end of the inlet member I and has a central openingtherein for receiving the stud I0.

The head I 9 of the stud I0, in this instance, has the upper surfaceformed circular in cross section, and the lower portion I9 thereof isformed with a fiat smooth surface for engaging the upper face of thecap 1. This flat surface I9 is provided with a pair of spaced parallelgrooves or ducts 20, one adjacent each flattened side of the stud shankII and, therefore, in registration with the corresponding portion of theaperture 9 in the cap 'I, thus providing a means for the entrance ofatmospheric air to the interior of the container. l

In order that liquid, such as gasoline, in the container 2 may not besplashed out through the cap opening 9 around the stud I0 and throughthe grooves 20, I have provided a baille plate 24 positioned at theunder-side of the cap 'I adja-v cent the opening 9 thereof. This barileplate 24 has its central portion formed with a downwardly extendingconical portion 25 which has the lower end thereof provided with acentral opening 25 of substantially the same size as the lower end ofthe stud I for receiving said stud.

The upper portion of the plate is formed with an outwardly extendingflat peripheral ring portion 26 which is positioned between the cap 'Iand gasket IB so that the gasket will maintain the baille plate in theoperative position with the ring portion 28 of the plate in contactwiththe cap.

It is thus seen that the liquid is prevented from being splashed pastthe baille plate 24 and stu'd I0 due to the close t of the stud in thebaille plate opening 25', andto the pressure of the gasket I8 upon thebaille plate in maintaining said plate in Contact with the cap beingsuiiicient to prevent of the baille plate, but at the same time, permitsair to be forced by atmospheric pressure through the duct 20 and aroundthe stud and baille plate into the tank or container as the contents ofsaid container are being withdrawn. I may, however, employ additionalmeans for maintaining the baille plate incontact with the cap which, inthis instance, consists of a relatively light tension spring member 28,as illustrated in Figure 7. This member may, as shown, be coiled aboutthe lower end of the stud II! between the lower end of the centralportion 25 of the baille plate 24 and the pivotal pin I5, with the lowerend of the spring resting upon the extended ends of the pin whichmaintains said spring in operative relation with the baille plate.

It is also evident that the closure is normally yieldingly maintained inliquid-tight relation with the inlet member I by the action of thespring I4, and when it is desired to supply the container with liquid,it is only necessary to lift the cap I against the action of the springI4 and place said cap in a tilting position at one side of the inlet,which action is permitted by the `spring and the pivotal connection Iwhich the tie chain I3 has with the retaining stud III.

A nozzle or spout as S may then be inserted in the inlet opening I'I andwithin the spring member I4, and when the nozzle is in said position,the ycap l will be maintained thereby in the tilted position at onesideof the opening Il as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 3, until suchtime as the nozzle is removed, whereupon the cap will be brought intopartial closing or eccentric relation with the upper end of the inletmember by the action of the spring I4, after which it requires only aslight readjustment of the cap to again bring it into position forclosing the inlet opening Il and electively preventing the entrance ofdust or other foreign matter.

Although I have shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of this invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact'construction shown, as various changes may readily be made, withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim: l

1. In a closure device, in combination, a oontainer having an inlet,spaced slots in the container opening into said inlet, a cap member forthe inlet and a retaining member including a helical spring adapted toenter said slots and .engage said container upon relative rotation ofsaid spring and container, and means connecting the cap with saidspring.

2. In a closure device, in combination, a container having an inlet, arecess adjacent said inlet and slots entering said recess, a cap memberfor said inlet and a retaining member including a helical spring adaptedto enter said slots and engage said recess upon relative rotation ofsaid spring and container, and means connecting the cap with saidspring.

3. In a closure device, in combination, a container having an inlet, arecess adjacent said inlet and slots entering said recess.l a cap member for said inlet and a retaining member including a'helical springadapted to enter said v slots and engage said recess with one endthereof upon relative rotation of said spring and container, and meansconnecting the cap with the free end of said spring.

4. In a closure structure for a container having an inlet opening in thewall thereof, a cap member adapted to engage the surface adjacent2,144,584 the opening on one side for closing said opening,

a retaining means including a helical spring having a portion of greaterdiameter than that of i an inlet opening inthe wall thereof, a cap mem#iber adapted to engage. thesurface of the container adjacent the openingon one side forclosing said opening, a retaining means including -ahelical spring having a portion of greater diameter-than that of saidopening for engaging the surface of the container at the side of theopening from the cap, and means connecting the cap member withthevspring adapted to transmit rotary motion of the cap to the springwhereby the spring may be screw-threaded through the inlet opening byturning the cap.

6. In a closure structure for a container having` an inlet opening inth'e wall thereof, a cap member adapted to engage the surface of thecontainer adjacent the opening on one side for closing said opening, aretaining means including a helical spring having a portion of greaterdiameter thanv that of said opening for engaging the surface /of the4container at the side of the opening from the cap, andmeans connectingthe cap member with the spring, said connecting means beingnon-rotatably connected to the cap v and to the spring whereby saidspring may be rotated by the cap to screw-thread the same through saidinlet. 5 ,i

'7. In a closure cap structure for an automobile gasoline tank llingspout having an' inwardly and downwardly turned iiange at its upper end,the combination of an elongated-closure member secured underneath saidinwardly and downwardly directed flange and comprising at 'its lower endportion a downwardlytapered tempered steel spiral spring, a cap forclosing, the

l upper end of said spout above said spiral spring,

and means for attaching said cap to said spring. 8. In a closure' capstructure for an automobile gasoline tank lling spout having an inwardlyand downwardly turned ange at its upper end,

the combination of an elongated closure member comprising at its upperend portion means adapted when the member is forced downwardly into thespout to -engage the ange on the spout and by said engagement to preventremoval oi the member from the spout and comprising at its lower endportion a downwardly tapered spiral part having its several plies inlaterally spaced relation to each other, a cap for closing theV upperend of said spout above said spiral part, and means for attaching saidcap to said spiral part. 9. In a closure cap structure for anautomobllegasoline tank lling spout having at its upper end an inwardly anddownwardly turned flange which is provided'with spaced; slots openinginwardly, the combination of an elongated closure member comprising atits upper end portion means adapted when the member is forced downwardinto the spout to project through at least one o said slots and toengage'y the under side of the iiange on the spout and by saidengagement to prevent removal of the member from/the spout andcomprising at its lower end portion a downwardly tapered spiral part, acap for closing the,

upper end of said spout above said spiral part,

and means for part.v

10. In a closure device, in combination, a containerhaving an inlet,spaced slots in the conattaching said. cap to, said spiral y taineropening into said inlet, a capv member for the inlet and a retainingdevice Vincluding a, helical spring, said device having a portionadapted to enter` one of'said slots and engage, said container .uponrelative rotation of saidd'evice and container,J and means vconnectingthe cap y with said spring. A

11. In a closure device ,for the gasoline tank oi an automobile, thecombination of 'a cap adapted to vseat on the inwardly turned ange atthe upper .end of the iilling spout of a tank, a spiral l spring membermounted below said ange across said filling spout effectively closingthe spout against insertionvof a siphoning tube therethrough butpermitting free entrance of gasoline through the spout,v and meansconnecting said cap with said spiral spring member serving to maintainat least a portion of said spring member under tension for holding thecap yieldinglv in its closed position and adapted when said cap israised into an open position to hold said spring member under increasedtension.

12. In a closure device for the gasoline tank of an automobile, thecombination of a cap adaptedA to seat on the inwardly turned flange atthe upper end of the lling spout of a tank, a spiral spring membermounted below said iiange across said lling spout eiectively closing thespout against insertion of a siphoning tube therethrough but|`permitting free entrance of gasoline through thespout, anda linkpivotally connected at oneiend with said spiral spring member andpivotally connected at its opposite end .with said cap on its inner faceserving to maintain at least a portion of said spiral spring memberunder tension for holding the cap yieldingly in its closed lposition andadapted when said cap is raised into an open position to hold saidspring member under increased tension.

, 4 FREDERICK H. GLEABON.

